09-30-2020, 08:06 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-30-2020, 08:12 AM by KillerLeft.)
Lots of good discussion going on in here regarding draft strategy. Interesting that everyone is coming from the same, correctly stated assessment of the current roster but arriving at a different thought as to how the team should proceed.
While I agree with the majority held consensus that the Mavs have undervalued the draft historically, and that they need to reverse that trend, I ALSO agree with the team's guiding fear that it's really difficult to consistently find gems through this method. The best way to mitigate this, imo, is to avoid drafting for need unless your draft position happens to intersect with a specific player at a need position whom you feel is a can't miss guy. Obviously, you TRY to hit areas of need, but I just feel like guys who can play are better than guys who can't.
It's not like this team is going to look the way it does now when they reach their peak. The chances of winning a championship while your superstar is on his rookie deal, pre-extension, are extremely low. I think it's likely that a LOT of current players have found their way out of the door, via either trade or free agency, by the time this thing is a true contender.
For that reason, if I'm drafting for the Mavs, I take the guy I'm most sure has a path to a useful role in the NBA. Seems like future value to any team, not just the Mavs, should be one of the goals. And, tbh, if they double up in some areas in the short term a lot of these good role players they have on team friendly deals (Kleber, DFS, Brunson, Curry) could move from the "guys you can't win without" column to the "assets" column.
While I agree with the majority held consensus that the Mavs have undervalued the draft historically, and that they need to reverse that trend, I ALSO agree with the team's guiding fear that it's really difficult to consistently find gems through this method. The best way to mitigate this, imo, is to avoid drafting for need unless your draft position happens to intersect with a specific player at a need position whom you feel is a can't miss guy. Obviously, you TRY to hit areas of need, but I just feel like guys who can play are better than guys who can't.
It's not like this team is going to look the way it does now when they reach their peak. The chances of winning a championship while your superstar is on his rookie deal, pre-extension, are extremely low. I think it's likely that a LOT of current players have found their way out of the door, via either trade or free agency, by the time this thing is a true contender.
For that reason, if I'm drafting for the Mavs, I take the guy I'm most sure has a path to a useful role in the NBA. Seems like future value to any team, not just the Mavs, should be one of the goals. And, tbh, if they double up in some areas in the short term a lot of these good role players they have on team friendly deals (Kleber, DFS, Brunson, Curry) could move from the "guys you can't win without" column to the "assets" column.